Messages

1

General Gaming / Re: Soma - What Metroid Prime HD could look like.

« on: October 14, 2013, 04:00:18 AM »

Am I the only one who gets pulled out of a dramatic game scene when I can't see my feet during an obvious moment like lying on a table?

I understand not not showing the body during normal gameplay, even though it very possible to do, but for a cinematic moment like that I consider it inexcusable.

thats a pain in the ass to set up though

I think the first place I saw it done really is a mod for the original Max Payne game. It was a third person game, but the mod made it first person. They locked the camera around his head area and it worked.

Mirror's Edge is the best example of First Person Feet that I've seen, but I'm not expecting all FPS games to have a visible body at all times. For a cinematic opening like Soma, they could have made something special just for jumping off the table.

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General Gaming / Re: Indie Game: The Movie on Netflix

« on: October 14, 2013, 03:53:21 AM »

so you're saying its pretty bad?

Not at all, the movie is excellent, as is Fez. The movie gives Phil Fish a lot of screen time though, and he is rather whiny in it.

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General Gaming / Re: Indie Game: The Movie on Netflix

« on: October 13, 2013, 01:08:40 PM »

I watched this just the other day, and coincidentally played Fez for the first time last month. Really makes me realize why people are leery of its creator Phil Fish, and it's no longer surprising he up and cancelled the sequel.

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General Gaming / Re: Soma - What Metroid Prime HD could look like.

« on: October 13, 2013, 01:06:01 PM »

Am I the only one who gets pulled out of a dramatic game scene when I can't see my feet during an obvious moment like lying on a table?

I understand not not showing the body during normal gameplay, even though it very possible to do, but for a cinematic moment like that I consider it inexcusable.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 353: Host Your Little Heart Out

« on: October 07, 2013, 12:23:57 PM »

One thing I want to say to James, get Selveria's Mission DLC for Valkyria Chronicles. It's three challenging missions, where you play as Selveria and her unit. It's very much more worth its cost than the Edy missions. As a bonus, you get her over powered machine gun for your main game characters should you replay it in the future.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U browser is just awesome

« on: October 06, 2013, 01:59:52 PM »

After watching latest Direct (on Wii U of course), i started playing around with updated browser.
Apparently they added some kind of web development tool. It's web based and doesn't look like working at the moment. Either way, it's cool, will tinker with it someday.

It does work, somewhat similar to how Mac users can remotely access iOS Safari through Mac Safari dev tools.

What you do for the Wii U is enable Development Mode (it's disabled every time you leave the browser), and it'll give you an IP:port address. Go to your computer (on the same WiFi network) and enter that address in to Chrome or Safari. It doesn't seem to work in Firefox, but that is because it's a different rendering engine and dev tools, which are not compatible.

The tools are the same as the ones you'd get in WebKit browsers, but invaluable to developers who are serious about supporting the Wii U properly.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Street Pass!

« on: September 27, 2013, 12:31:58 AM »

What dictates when you can send a personal message to a repeat street pass person? I used to be offered to write one every time but now it never does except for with my sister (who has the highest pass count on my system) . Did something about it change in the last update?

With the flood of StreetPasses I've received because of the Home Relay, I have noticed a pattern for this. It seems that you only get the offer for a personalized message (or rating) the second time you pass someone. Sometimes I don't get the option at all though, probably because of the other person disabling messages.

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General Chat / Re: The Ad Blocker Argument

« on: September 15, 2013, 02:28:24 PM »

I wasn't even aware of AdTrap.  Hm.

This is their website: http://www.getadtrap.com/
I think I paid around $80 for it via KickStarter, but had to wait a year to receive it. It is suppose to support VPN as well, so your phone could have its data pass through your home internet, blocking ads even when away.

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General Chat / Re: The Ad Blocker Argument

« on: September 15, 2013, 01:59:01 PM »

I actually supported the AdTrap KickStarter (a router with built-in ad blocking), and should be getting my unit within a couple weeks. I love AdBlock in Firefox, however that doesn't help me with my iOS devices. I intentionally avoid viewing websites on my iPhone and iPad because I know I will be inundated with ads. Ads is also a big reason why I lost any little interest I had in getting an XBox 360, and the subsequent XBone.

UncleBob, I agree with the entirety of your arguments, but have to add that FaceBook is by far the worst of the social media buttons. It causes something around 25 requests, just for that little button on any given page. Twitter isn't so bad, due to their embracing of the Do Not Track setting in browsers (look around your options to enable that, though many sites, including Google and Facebook, ignore it).

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive #28: Pandora's Tower

« on: September 09, 2013, 04:46:49 PM »

Pandora's Tower does have the feel of a 3D Castlevania.

To give the context for Jonny, after he quoted me in the podcast: My biggest experience with Castlevania is Super IV and Symphony of the Night, so I was paying Pandora's Tower a compliment. While I have played one or two of the N64 Castlevania games, I don't remember much about them (subconsiously?). I was referencing the chain/whip style combat, swinging around with the chain, and the RPG elements similar to SotN. So basically it's a good 2D Castlevania, done in 3D.

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General Gaming / Re: What is the last game you beat? Thoughts/impressions?

« on: September 03, 2013, 02:44:15 AM »

EarthBound.

Played for the first time, and beat it. Such a strange game, but I have to say that I quite liked it. Well, besides the rather difficult and sometimes brutal parts of the game—but that's me being more used to the easy RPGs they're making nowadays.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive #28: Pandora's Tower

« on: August 29, 2013, 09:08:11 PM »

I went back in the towers for six more hours (for a total of 30 hours) to unlock red doors…

I didn't actually go back for the New Game +, but I did get the S ending anyway. Is there much point to going back for a quick replay?

Also, how are the red doors handed? What do you have to do to open them?

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Street Pass!

« on: August 14, 2013, 12:47:21 PM »

It also requires very specific models of routers, which mine is not included. Apparently you can use your Android phone as an alternative, so I may look into that.

Note, you'd have to have a rooted Android phone to do it.

There are also ways to make your computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) behave as the relay, provided it has a wireless adaptor and a wired internet connection. Most everything you need to know is collected in this Google Doc (tutorial links at the bottom)..

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General Chat / Re: Um, Apple thread

« on: August 13, 2013, 07:04:55 PM »

Microsoft has finally gotten rid of the ridiculous different Windows OS packages though. $99 is still pretty pricey, but at least that's for the full OS now.

I stand corrected on that point. It's about bloody time they stopped that.

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General Chat / Re: Um, Apple thread

« on: August 13, 2013, 04:22:48 PM »

Some might call it the price of ever slimming computers, but it is a bit of a let down to not have the option to upgrade your computer.

It's the price of buying an overpriced computer that costs hundreds of dollars more than a Windows computer with the same specs (and more games).

Without then intention of turning this in to a debate, I will give a few counterpoints.

• I use a Mac primarily because of one web development app (Coda) that I could not find an equivalent on Windows that I liked, for no lack of trying. Many people get Macs for professional or ease of use reasons rather than for the number of games.
• Thanks to Steam, there are a ton more Mac games than there used to be, that said it is true that there are fewer than on Windows. Good thing it's a simple task to dualboot a Mac in to Windows, though I game on consoles more anyway.
• To a Windows machine with similar specs, it is indeed more expensive, however the individual parts are often better quality than in those cheap Dell/Samsung/Acer/etc. computers. A Mac often will last longer without hardware failure, though new OS X versions demand more resources and slows older machines.
• The full version of OS X, with a complete feature set, is included in the cost of the Mac, no Home Edition with a $100+ upgrade to Pro like Windows. All major updates to OS X are $20 (every 1.5-2 years), which is easily put on a thumb drive and works on any number of other Macs under that single cost.

So end of the day, the premium isn't too much higher than a Windows machine, when all factors are considered.

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General Chat / Re: Um, Apple thread

« on: August 13, 2013, 03:14:21 AM »

A warning though, about the Retina MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs. If you foresee the need for more RAM or hard disk space, upgrade it when you order. These models do not have self-upgradable RAM, and the SSDs are custom builds. Some might call it the price of ever slimming computers, but it is a bit of a let down to not have the option to upgrade your computer.

The storage space can be somewhat made up for, via SD card. I supported a nifty KickStarter called, well Nifty, which makes a Micro SD adaptor that sits flush with the body of all Mac SD card slot. Nothing's stopping you from using a standard SD, though it will stick out.

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General Chat / Re: Um, Apple thread

« on: August 13, 2013, 01:30:59 AM »

So anyone got one of the new 13" Macbook Pro with a Retina display?

I have the 15" Retina, and I love it. I got it early on, and happened to get a display with some pretty bad ghosting. I put up with it until two months ago, just 28 days from the end of my warranty, when I got around to having the display replaced—it was completely covered. That was only an early adopter problem, which was actually Samsung's fault.

Anyway, after having the computer for a year, I still love it. I had the previous MacBook Pro for four years before going Retina, though the optical drive died on that machine.

18

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Streetpass me!

« on: August 11, 2013, 09:21:11 PM »

Seems like it would be easier to do this using Wi-Fi Tether on Android with the MAC address spoof option.

I would agree, if I had an Android. I did however have an old compatible router that was being troublesome and headed for the trash anyway. The custom firmware install was a little complicated, but things are dead simple after passing that step.

wouldn't it be better to change the ssid to bestbuy for animal crossing dlc?

Both the SSID and MAC Address need to match for it to work. I don't know whether these work for BestBuy specific stuff. I don't have Animal Crossing to test it.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Streetpass me!

« on: August 11, 2013, 08:14:36 PM »

Well, that is certainly effective.

Yes, this is very possible, and surprisingly simple, once you get the custom firmware installed. I'm using an old otherwise unused router going through my main one, so that I won't mess anything up.

I followed the info in this Reddit topic. You can check your router's compatibility with one of the firmware methods at this list.

Apologies to UncleBob, but I will be sticking to the attwifi SSID, because of the ease of changing MAC Addresses to get 10 StreetPasses in 20 minutes.

20

General Chat / Re: Your Favorite Fast Food Resturant

« on: August 11, 2013, 01:55:49 PM »

Do all Five Guys locations pack the place with peanuts? I'm surprised they didn't have huge warning signs at the place I went to for people with allergies. There were a dozen open boxes of peanuts, free for customers to snack on, and shells all over the floor. The burger and fries was indeed good, but I sure am glad I don't have allergies.

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General Chat / Re: Your #1 meal at Fast Food Restaurants

« on: August 11, 2013, 01:47:09 PM »

I also have plenty of good Subway experiences. I tend to mostly get deli sliced meat though, and certainly not that so-called rib concoction.

That said, there were some less-than-appetizing locations in my city, until one got closed down by an inspector. Suddenly almost every location closed for half a year before reopening under a new owner. Since then the quality has been very good, even the pulled pork I tried once.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive #28: Pandora's Tower

« on: August 02, 2013, 09:14:21 PM »

Both this and The Last Story were huge disappointments to me after playing through Xenoblade Chronicles.

I'd have to agree that they both paled compared to Xenoblade, however they all had their charm.

Pandora's Tower does have the feel of a 3D Castlevania. The timer added a lot of stress to the game, until I realized that all I need to do is find a good place to get meat, then focus on opening shortcuts. After that I wasn't so worried about it. Also, leaving her long enough to transform was a good way to grind affinity, by repairing broken necklaces and arm bands, then regifting them.

A warning to those who encounter the NA freezing issue when loading towers: It is possible to continue, but you may need to try repeatedly, and take a detour to another tower.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive #28 Poll

« on: August 02, 2013, 03:50:55 AM »

I signed up just to vote for The Forgotten Sands, my favourite of all the Prince of Persia games. It lost.

But, I just played Pandora's Tower a couple months ago, so I'll have something to talk about.

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General Chat / Re: "Hey I'm new!" Official Introduce Yourself to the Internet Thread

« on: August 02, 2013, 03:38:40 AM »

Well, here I am, finally signed up after listening to and reading NWR for years. With any luck I'll be more active than the last guy. I signed up now to vote for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands in the Retroactive—it lost, but oh well.

I am a web developer and Nintendo fan, which I combined to make a site of Zelda quotes. Most of my gaming time is on Wii U or PS3, with 3DS and Steam getting a little less.